You won't find an insurance company to cover you everywhere...at least I couldn't.

I purchased liability insurance for the bike at each border crossing that required it. I did not buy insurance for those countries that did not require it. Most in Central America did require it and I believe only Colombia and Ecuador in South America. Check out Liferemotely for great border crossing info.

I also bought insurance for Mexico at the border.

As far as health insurance I used Mediquote www.mediquote.ca . They have a really good plan which includes vehicle return and great staff. And it's a Canadian company to boot! Make sure to advise your provincial health care folks about your trip if it will be longer than 6 months, they can give you a little grace period.

I also subscribed to the SAR coverage that you can buy with a SPOT or inReach device.

Dave, Yours has been an epic adventure with, as I have said before, fantastic reporting in terms of data, story and pictures...........one of the all time greats on ADV. You have made it look easy(ish) but that should not detract from your accomplishment as you have done what most people only dream or talk about it. Remember how nervous we both were before we started ??
As for the cost......$13,000 ?? In real terms the experience you had (in my humble opinion) is beyond price and is probably the best investment (after marrying Wanitta) you have ever made.
It is a honour to know you and look forward to meeting you both again.....my treat this time.
Have a safe trip home, Dave

Congrats on finishing your trip! Can't wait to hear more about budget and all the other things. Trips like this keep the hamster wheel spinning. Are you ready to get back or you wish you could still be out there for another month?

Congrats on finishing your trip! Can't wait to hear more about budget and all the other things. Trips like this keep the hamster wheel spinning. Are you ready to get back or you wish you could still be out there for another month?

Later
John

Click to expand...

If I knew I had another 6 months to go I would be fine just carrying on. But with the end here I can't wait to get home to my family. I have a new job waiting for me and we are moving to the west coast so I'm pretty excited to get back.

My plan was to just stop in the suburbs but I failed to find a cheap hotel anywhere so continued into the city. After a few futile attempts at finding lodging a nice man asked if he could help me. His Daughter and Son in law helped me find the Palermo area which is the hotspot for hotels, hostels, and places to eat.

Well there were plenty of those things but they were all full. By the time I found the Palermo Hotel it was dusk and I was a very tired rider. The hotel cost 275 pesos and the parking was 100 pesos for 12 hours. I had to leave before 8am the next day or would be charged the 24 hour rate.

In the room the phone rang and the front desk girl tried to tell me something. I didn't understand so I started down to the lobby. She intercepted me with my GPS in her hand. Wow, I didn't even realize it was missing because it had dropped out of my helmet when I picked it up from a chair in the lobby. Thank you!

The next morning I got up early and rode to Dakar Motos about half an hour away.

I waited in the beautiful morning sunshine for Javier and Sandra to come and open up the shop. We immediately got down to business and Sandra gave me all the details of the shipping process. I stayed the night in the back of their shop where they have a mini hostel set up. They only charge 100 pesos for a bed and 40 pesos for the bike.

On tuesday I rode to the airport with two fellows who I had met way back in Panama. I had to refresh their memories because the meeting was very brief and helmets didn't come off so we didn't know each other's faces. But I recognized the bikes, One GS1200 from Alaska and one from Holland. The Alaskan bike was being flown to Miami so we rode to the airport together.

The instructions from Sandra were great and everything happened the way she said it would. The bike is all wrapped on the pallet and ready to go. I chose not to remove the front wheel which in hindsight was a minor mistake that cost a few bucks but it will be easier to get it set back up in Vancouver.

Total cost of shipping $18,843 pesos including the Dakar fee of 1,000. 14,300 of those pesos were exchanged on the Blue market at 10.5 pesos per US dollar and the rest from an ATM at the official rate of 7.7 pesos per US dollar....you do the math.
The next step is to take the train downtown tomorrow and pay the shipper in exchange for the waybill.

The ride is over and I'm sitting in the airport waiting for my flight home. In a little more than 24 hours I'll be having Tim Hortons coffee with my wife by my side. The things I missed the most were without a doubt my family and Canadian coffee.

As I think about going home I can't help but remember and thank all those who have made this more than just a bike trip. First and foremost I can't thank my wife enough for being such a good sport about this. Most guys I talk to ask how I convinced her to let me go. Well she never once gave me any negative signals despite making some big sacrifices over the last 6 months. Wanitta is my hero.

My whole family has been wonderful with their support. My kids with encouragement, my Mom lent us her house for 6 months, and my siblings have all been so great with their enthusiasm.

To my Brother in Law Barry, who inspired me to make the trip a fund raiser. I wish he hadn't been injured in the first place but thanks to him I made the trip count for something more.

Thank you Louise Miller and SCITCS for allowing me to briefly be a part of your organization and helping me do what I needed to do. We have raised over $14,000 and still counting. Thank you to all my donors.

To Chuck for his generous help with all the publicity and fund raising. Without him I would have been lost.
To Cindi for whom Skelly wears pink, thank you for your hard work at the fund raiser,the Costa Rican resort stay and connecting me with your Cabo friends.

Tim Der and Sign source for the great graphics on my truck and the bike.

Claysmore Spring Water
Sobeys
Swift Media
The UPS Store
Glenn Cook of the St. Albert Leader
Scott Hayes of the St. Albert Gazette
Marty Forbes

Riverside Motosports came through big time with a donation to SCITCS and hosting the big send off event. Thanks Greg, Danny, Chad and the gang.

And all the people along the way who I have met. Sorry I didn't get all of your names but you had an impact.
The fine folks who fed me on my first night, and the biker who made a donation after only knowing me for 60 seconds. Chris in Lake Tahoe, Charles in Chetumal. Troy and Martin, awesome KLR dudes. Paul and Asli touring on a Vtsrom. Tim and his friends ziplining in Costa Rica. Toby and Sara Shannon in Huanuco, thanks for keeping Skelly safe. The whole gang from the Stahlratte, I don't want to miss any names, you know who you are. Bart and Renata, Daniel and Sarah you guys helped make the trip so much more complete. Kyle and Trevor, I had such fun riding with you two guys.

And of Course Eran, my good pal who I spent almost 10 weeks with. I am so glad I met you and that you waited for me in Uyuni. What a pleasure it has been to know you despite your ripe boots. You taught me to look beyond the surface, and take some chances. I hope we meet again some day.
Boy I sure hope I haven't missed anyone.

Hi Dave. Thanks for a truly wonderful Ride Report! I've enjoyed everything about it, your story, content, style, execution...everything. It's a piece of art and rates among the very best. I'm going over it again and again.

Really enjoyed following you on your trails south. Welcome back home safe and sound. You have a good eye for the photos which made us all part of the trip. I live in Vancouver but ride the island occasionally, maybe Ill run into you (metaphorically), Thanks again

Looking forward to meeting up with you out here on the Island, Dave!...safe travels home and good luck with the move. How did the Heidenau rear work for you?...how many klicks did you get out of it? I love those tires...just curious what your experience was. Take care!

"... one of the planes that dropped bombs on the HMS Plymouth. None of the bombs that struck the ship exploded..."

too bad .... Thatcher threatened nukes over Cordoba if Mitterand didn't supply the codes for the Exocets .... horrible woman ... at least the Sheffield went down !

LAS MALVINAS SON ARGENTINAS !

ARGENTINO HASTA LA MUERTE !"

I am disgusted that you hijack Dave's thread and this site to make your political statement and gloat on the loss of 20 British servicemen. Use another site for that. If you want to reply, PM me not on here.